NFL former player Deion Sanders announces the number sixty overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons during the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. / Debby Wong, USA TODAY Sports

by Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

by Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

BOSTON ‚?? Roger Goodell quipped recently the NFL is getting "bumped by the Easter Bunny" out of their late-April slot at Radio City Music Hall because of a yet-to-be-announced event.

The commissioner suggested Tuesday the league could be run out of Manhattan altogether.

During his press conference at the close of the NFL spring meeting, Goodell said moving the draft to May next year is only a temporary solution and the draft might have to switch zip codes to get back into April consistently.

A return to the Theater at Madison Square Garden doesn't thrill Goodell and the league.

"Frankly, to date, the experience we've had, particularly with the event growing with its popularity, the sites we've been at in the past, I'm not sure we would look at (MSG) again," Goodell said. "So we haven't found a location in New York that we think meets our requirements where we think we can continue to grow the event. If we do, that will be one of the alternatives.

"But I think one of the things we'll have to do at some point is start looking at other cities."

The draft has been held in New York City every year since 1965. It was previously held in Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.

The NFL has been trying to tinker with the offseason schedule for a few years and will continue discussing options with the NFL Players Association. For now, the issue with the draft is merely a scheduling problem with Radio City. With the venue's event being tied to Easter, there are bound to be conflicts in April every few years, thus disrupting any consistency.

Goodell said next year's draft will be held at Radio City on May 8-10 or 15-17. For 2015 and beyond, Goodell said "we will begin that process" of scouting other cities and venues to hold the draft.

As for the offseason schedule, the league can do what it wants with any of the events except for the start of the league year, which is mandated by the collective bargaining agreement and is subject to player approval.

The union has been reluctant to move the start of the league year, which is also the start of free agency, but there's a chance the scouting combine could jump back in the calendar from February to March, with the draft remaining in May.

Though he and the owners can make the decision on their own, Goodell wants the players involved in the process, if possible. The goal: to make the NFL relevant in every month of the year.

"This is not secretive. We share what the overall strategy is, what we're trying to accomplish, with the players," Goodell said. "We went to them to get their feedback and we want to make sure we do it right. That includes getting player input on it.

"We're negotiating that with the uinion. We have a discussion with them sometime in the next couple of weeks. I'm sure that'll come up. We think that's a good change for the fans and for football."